Dealing with Discouragement
John 11:21
"Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died."
Discouragement often comes when we least expect it. It can strike when we feel that our prayers have gone unanswered, when God doesn’t show up the way we hoped, or when life seems to spiral in the opposite direction of what we prayed for. Mary’s words in John 11:21, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died,” reflect a deep sense of disappointment. She had hoped that Jesus would come sooner, that He would act before things got worse. But by the time Jesus arrived, Lazarus was dead, and Mary was overwhelmed by her grief.
In her discouragement, Mary stayed in the house, unable to bring herself to go out to Jesus. She didn’t know what to expect anymore, and her faith was shaken. Sometimes, when we’re facing trials, we too feel like staying where we are—staying in the place of disappointment and sorrow. But Jesus didn’t leave her there. He came to her in her discouragement and revealed the power of God in a way that Mary and Martha had never expected.
In the midst of your discouragement, Jesus is still near. He knows your pain, and He is waiting to meet you exactly where you are, just as He did with Mary. Though Mary’s initial response was to stay in the house and mourn, it was in that moment of deep hurt that God’s miracle was about to unfold. What she couldn’t see in her discouragement was that God was preparing to resurrect what seemed hopeless.
Just like Mary, you may be facing a situation that feels too far gone to fix. You may be wondering why God hasn’t acted sooner. But trust this—He is still at work in your life, even when you don’t feel it. God has the power to bring life to what is dead. Stay in faith, because He is not finished yet.
Prayer:
Lord, when we feel discouraged and disappointed, remind us that You are always near. Help us to trust that You are working in our lives, even when we can’t see it. Just as You met Mary in her discouragement, meet us today with Your peace, Your hope, and Your resurrection power. We trust You to turn our situations around. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
"Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died."
Discouragement often comes when we least expect it. It can strike when we feel that our prayers have gone unanswered, when God doesn’t show up the way we hoped, or when life seems to spiral in the opposite direction of what we prayed for. Mary’s words in John 11:21, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died,” reflect a deep sense of disappointment. She had hoped that Jesus would come sooner, that He would act before things got worse. But by the time Jesus arrived, Lazarus was dead, and Mary was overwhelmed by her grief.
In her discouragement, Mary stayed in the house, unable to bring herself to go out to Jesus. She didn’t know what to expect anymore, and her faith was shaken. Sometimes, when we’re facing trials, we too feel like staying where we are—staying in the place of disappointment and sorrow. But Jesus didn’t leave her there. He came to her in her discouragement and revealed the power of God in a way that Mary and Martha had never expected.
In the midst of your discouragement, Jesus is still near. He knows your pain, and He is waiting to meet you exactly where you are, just as He did with Mary. Though Mary’s initial response was to stay in the house and mourn, it was in that moment of deep hurt that God’s miracle was about to unfold. What she couldn’t see in her discouragement was that God was preparing to resurrect what seemed hopeless.
Just like Mary, you may be facing a situation that feels too far gone to fix. You may be wondering why God hasn’t acted sooner. But trust this—He is still at work in your life, even when you don’t feel it. God has the power to bring life to what is dead. Stay in faith, because He is not finished yet.
Prayer:
Lord, when we feel discouraged and disappointed, remind us that You are always near. Help us to trust that You are working in our lives, even when we can’t see it. Just as You met Mary in her discouragement, meet us today with Your peace, Your hope, and Your resurrection power. We trust You to turn our situations around. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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